All it takes
by Mysteriousreader1990
Summary: All it took was one faltering step to change the course of events. What if when Gale got caught by peacekeepers, Katniss was able to shoot them? Freeing him. What if he recognised the bombs he designed are the ones that just hit? Could he reach Prim on time?


All it takes.

Galeniss one-shot that came to mind as I was thinking about the part in Mockingjay where Gale got caught by peacekeepers. This is a what if story and AU. What if when Gale got caught by peacekeepers, Katniss was able to shoot them, freeing him? What if he recognised the bombs he designed are the ones that just hit? Could he reach Prim on time?

 **A. N. Another Gale and Katniss story, because we need more of them. Gale didn't deserve the ending that S. C. gave him. He deserved so much more,** _ **they**_ **deserved so much more.** **It's been a while since I read the books, or seen the movies, so it may be more AU than I intended.** **  
**  
 _Katniss POV_

I felt a sudden sense of unease as we scurried up the colourful streets of the Capitol – towards Snow's Palace – trying to blend in with the capitol residents. My steps faltered, and so did Gales. We were so in sync, after tears of hunting, that we mirrored each other seamlessly – like we were one person.

This was my big mistake. My faltering steps caused a cataclysm of terrifying events to follow – that's all it took – one faltering step.

It began with a slight tremble, that at first seemed to be beneath our feet only, but then the steps of the others began to falter. The trembling grew and I glanced behind me, I gasped in horror. The ground was literally disappearing behind us.

"Gale, run!" I yelled pushing his back roughly, he did so without questioning, trusting me completely.

We got a few feet and to our horror the ground in front of us began opening up as well. People began falling, twenty or thirty of them all at once, their dying screams causing me to lose my breath.

"Jump!" Gale yelled. We did, gripping on to the iron railings that surrounded the perfectly neat houses. Many others did the same. I didn't realise at first that as I jumped to the left, Gale jumped to the right, the one and only time we weren't in sync. It proved to be a huge mistake.

As we clung on for dear life, the door behind Gale swung open and two peacekeepers emerged, grabbing him roughly they began to drag him inside.

"Shoot me!" He began to yell over and over. I couldn't understand him at first, but when I did my blood ran cold as I remembered my promise. I couldn't – I had to save him.

The ground had begun to reappear and the street was once more swamped by capitol citizens. In a panic I began to search for higher ground. The only thing I could find was a telephone pole, that seemed to have manifested with the pavement and roads.

Relief swamped me when I reached the top and seen that they hand not yet succeeded in dragging him into the house. Gale was putting up a hell of a fight, and they seemed a poor match for this strong, irate soldier. I drew my bow, and an arrow, and breathed deeply.

I made a whistle, akin to a bird trilling, which caused Gale to look up, his unnaturally clear hearing coming into good use. He stopped fighting upon seeing me, ready for the arrow.

But I wasn't going to kill him. I could never kill him, despite what I promised. No. I just needed him to stop fighting so that I didn't accidentally shoot him. I aimed, and the peacekeeper to his right fell. My shot getting my intended target, the heart. The second peacekeeper looked up, just in time for my second arrow to find his heart also. Gale swiftly stood up and quickly walked out of the garden.

I climbed down, jumping straight into his waiting arms when I was close enough to the ground. "You didn't shoot me," he murmured into my hair as he hugged me tightly.

"I couldn't." I whimpered. He sighed heavily.

"OK, let's go." he said, pulling my hood up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along the newly formed street. It did not escape me that we were now walking on at least a hundred people's final resting place. It sent a chill down my spine, which caused Gale to grip my hand tighter.

After at least ten minutes more of walking we finally came up to the Palace. I had made it, we had finally made it.

The masses of crowds did nothing to obscure the view of the over sized Palace, which loomed large. It was going to take a while for us to get through. We couldn't go separately, it would be too dangerous. My musings were interrupted by the booming voice of President Snow.

"Welcome, residents of the Capitol. I graciously accept you into my humble home, for shelter from these radicals." Gale snorted so hard that a few people glanced his direction. I elbowed him hard in the ribs but he only smirked in reply.

"Please, children first, bring them forward and hand them off to my peacekeepers. We shall take care of them from here." His slimy voice continued on. My blood began to run cold. Something didn't feel right.

"Gale, something is wrong?" I whispered in a panic. He nodded in agreement, and gripped my hand tighter, trying to reassure me.

He began moving us forward and with each step the feeling of unease increased. We struggled for at least ten minutes against the crowd but we were no closer to the Palace.

"Here," Gale said pulling me to his left. A few more shoves and we reached an abandoned truck. He climbed up and hauled me up immediately after. We scrambled up the wind-shield and to the top, where we still had a perfect view from our crouched positions. "Doesn't look like there's much of a path to the Palace, " he mused.

But I wasn't listening, I was too distracted by the hoards of screaming kids being yanked from their parents arms and being forced behind a barricade of spiked, metal bars. Gale realised that I wasn't paying attention, and looked to where my eyes were trained. I knew it was a car crash waiting to happen, but I couldn't look away.

I wish I had though, because I wasn't prepared for the incoming wreck. The explosion happened to violently that I was blown back. Gale, who was already holding on, grabbed me quickly. I steadied myself on the bumper as I tried to think clearly. The ringing in my ears only just subsiding.

"The kids..." Gale whispered. My blood ran cold. Had President Snow bombed all those poor defenceless kids that he was claiming to help? I struggled to sit up, slightly dizzy from the resulting blast. A side affect of the head injury I'd sustained during the second games.

A few deep breaths and I had steadied my head enough to be able to climb up. I tried to grab Gales hand but he was to distracted by something.

"Prim?" he yelled with an anger in his voice that I'd never heard until now. My heart stopped. No it couldn't be. I hauled myself up and looked in the direction he was looking, and there she was, standing like a deer caught in headlights, wearing a nurses uniform.

"Prim? Get out of here!" I screeched. The terror in my voice seemed to wake Gale from his stunned stupor, and in one swift motion, he'd jumped off the top of the truck.

Now that my heart had started beating again, I followed suit. He steadied me and grabbed my hand. The crowd had ran after the explosion, and all was left was the injured and dead and panicked parents. Medics were trying to rally the injured citizens, but it was chaos, they were too shocked. The metal bars slid beneath the ground, and frantic parents began to try to reach their children.

We were half way to her, she was still frozen to the spot, too afraid to move.

That's when I heard it, a tinkling that I'd hope to never hear again, ever. I looked up and sure enough hundreds of metal canisters were floating down upon us.

"Oh no!" Gale moaned. "No, no, no!" he began yelling. I stopped running shocked at his outburst. He seemed to have frozen, watching the parachutes floating towards us.

"Run, everyone run!" he yelled, but they only looked at him confused. "Prim run!" he was getting hysterical now. I'd never seen Gale so unhinged before.  
"Katniss, grab Prim and run, it's more bombs!"

I gasped in shock, it took a split second for me to move, my legs running faster than they had before. We only had a few seconds at most.

I rammed into Prim, forcing her to stumble back, I grabbed her and continued moving. I could hear Gale still screaming at people to move. We'd just got out of reach when the second bombs hit. Again we were blown back by the blast. I steadied myself quicker this time, the need to more urgent. I double checked Prim, relived that she was fine, in shock, but fine.

My mind went to Gale. Where was Gale? I stood up and looked behind me. The sight that met my eyes caused an inhuman scream to rip from my very core.

Gale, my sweet, strong dependable Gale. Truly the only pillar of strength I had bar Prim, had been struck down. I could hardly believe was I was seeing. He lay motionless on the ground, rebel soldiers had began swarming in to save him, recognising him as one of their own, and blocking the horrific sight before me. I fell to my knees, all breath had left my body now.

I had just witnessed my worst nightmare, and what I had seen was going to haunt me for the rest of my life.

For my Gale, had not only been struck down, he was on fire.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Panic set in after the shock of seeing Gale on fire, and I struggled up and ran to him. Prim was already at his side, being the only medic available.

"Gale? Gale? " I called panic stricken, expecting him to answer, but he was unconscious. "No, no, no! Please be OK. You can't leave me. Come back to me." I was crying hysterically now, trying in vain to rouse him. Prim gently pushed me back, a look of pity and sorrow in her usually warm blue eyes, and continued working on Gale.

Sitting back I was able to calm myself enough to take a proper look at Gale. The sight was horrific, his skin, the beautiful olive toned skin that I never appreciated until now, was red. A violent shade of red, with blisters that popped and oozed all over. The capitol clothes that he'd been disguised in were melted onto his skin, which added a horrible black to the horrific red.

The smell of blistered flesh and burnt clothing made my stomach churn. I quelled my sickness and gently lifted his head to cradle, miraculously, the only part of him not completely burned. His raw hands suggested that he'd tried to protect himself. His hair was only slightly singed, and his face had only superficial burns.

"He's in a critical condition." Prim stated as she examined him. His breathing was shallow and rapid, and I could only pray to a higher power that he'd make it. "You did good putting out the flames as quickly as you did, that, and the fact that he was able to protect his head, may just be his saving grace. But he needs help now." She said speaking to the other soldiers.

"Don't you dare die on me, Gale. I won't allow it." I whispered planting a soppy kiss on his forehead.

"We've just got word that the capitol has fallen, Snow and his army have surrendered. We can get him into the castle and get him the help he needs. There's already a full team of Capitol healers and their equipment on their way." The soldier in charge stated.

I should've felt elated that we'd won, but I couldn't, as I was paying the ultimate price. Snow would die for this, and if Gale died as well. His whole family was going to burn with him.

XX

An hour after the explosion, and we were sitting in a makeshift hospital room. Gale was hooked up to several monitors, and drips that were pumping several liquids in various colours directly into his veins. He had deep third degree burns, over sixty percent of his body. It seemed that most of the explosion caught his right side. It could've been worse, but due to the fact the flames were put out quickly, it was better than expected.

The liquids were healing the damage inside, and a special, horrific smelling salve was applied to his copious burns, healing the outside. He'd had two salve baths already since we'd arrived, they piled on enormous amounts that soaked into his skin. Which already started to look better.

I was truly in awe of the technology the capitol had, and the ways in which they could save people. I didn't have time to be bitter about the fact that we had nothing in twelve that could even save a burns victim, because right now it was saving Gale's life, and I would be eternally grateful for it.

He still had a long way to go, a month or two of the salve treatment, and whatever else they were pumping him with, before he'd start to look normal. Although they warned me that he'd never look the same again. He'd have a permanent red tinge to his skin, like a scald, his skin would be very dry so daily cream was a must. Infections and cuts would be more likely now, with his skin being so fragile, but I didn't care. He'd be alive and that's all that mattered.

His breathing had returned to normal and I began to relax beside him. But I was still on tender hooks, and would be until he woke. For now, all I could do was wait.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They tried to move me, to rouse me from my position and do the final duty that I had yet to carry out, kill Snow. But I wouldn't budge. It had been seven days now, and the burns were healing well and starting to look less angry.

They'd stop trying to coax me into moving by the fifth day. After a particularly annoying nurse tried shifting me by saying that my cousin would be fine, and that there was really no need to stay.

"He's not my cousin." I'd seethed, venom practically dripping from my voice. "If you want me to move, you're going to have to forcefully remove me." I challenged.

She'd let out a yelp as if I'd slapped her across the face, and scampered, as fast as her tiny fat legs would carry her. She never came back, and no one else asked me to move from his bedside since then. I suspected Haymitch had warned them off trying.

We'd had visits from Hazelle and the kids, which was rough. Hazelle looked so distraught and lost that it broke my heart. My mum, and Haymitch also visited over those seven days. But none from Prim, who was avoiding me at all costs. Afraid of my wrath. But I'd never do anything to hurt her, it wasn't her fault, not entirely. I only sought to scold her, and to tell her to never do anything so stupid again.

The door creaked open interrupting my thoughts, and to my surprise Prim shuffled in. Carrying my bow, arrow, and Mockingjay outfit in her small arms, a sorrowful look on her face.

I scowled as she set them on the table beside me.

"They tell me he's going to be alright." She said softly. I nodded curtly, not daring to look her directly in the eye.

"That's good. I'm relieved. I don't know what to do if he'd died. I wouldn't be able to cope with the knowledge that I'd killed him." she whimpered.

"It's not your fault, little duck. Gale saved you because he loves you, just like he loves Posy." I soothed. I brought her into my arms and held her tight, she let out a shaky breath and pulled back.

"They want you to shoot the President. The rebels are getting restless. They're beginning to demand they do it themselves." She stated with trepidation.

"Let them." I scowled throwing a scathing look to my stuff, as if it had personally offended me.

"No. It has to be you." she said with a slightly forceful tone. I looked at her surprised.

"It was Gale's bomb design that was used Katniss. The double bomb was his idea. He of course never intended on it being used on defenceless children. But that's why he panicked, and why he tried to save so many. He saved twenty children by shoving them out of the way. But he'll have to live with the knowledge that the bomb he designed was used in ways he never would've imagined.

"I also wasn't here by accident Katniss, I didn't volunteer. I knew better than to do that. Gale forbade me from doing so, just before he left. But Coin said that I had to come. She said that I had a special skill set that was needed in the front line. That I'd be held a hero at the end of it. That it would be good that if the first thing you saw when it was done was my face.

"She left me no choice! I was to come here or risk loosing my job, and passion in life. She had access to Gale's designs. She ordered the bombs to be made, she ordered them to be dropped on the innocent kids. She sent me to the front line, right into the line of fire.

"She knew that if I died you'd be unhinged, and once you'd found out that it was Gale's bombs that caused it, she knew you'd never forgive him and would cut him from your life. She also sent Peeta into battle when he was not fit to be sanctioned, just to mess with you. She wanted to isolate you. To make you weak so that you couldn't overthrow her.

"She intends to be the next president, and I fear she'll be more ruthless than Snow. She's already planning on another games, with Capitol children. To teach them a lesson."

My head was reeling. Coin? She did all this? She almost took everything away from me, and for what? For power that I did not wish to have? My blood began to boil.

"Snow will be tied to a podium, completely defenceless. Also without the antidote that is currently stopping the poisoned ulcers in his mouth from opening and killing him. You have been given one arrow. Execution time is set for one hour. Coin will be standing on a podium just above Snow, addressing the nation with a speech about her victory. You have one shot. Shoot straight." She said with a steely glint in her eye. Had she really just endorsed me to commit murder. My sweet wee innocent duck was encouraging me to kill Coin. My heart filled with sadness.

"Prim?" I whispered my voice breaking.

"I'm not that innocent kid that you protected from the first games, Katniss." She said with a slight exasperation. "Despite how hard you try to cling onto that hope." She smiled slightly trying to add a little light-heartedness to the situation. "I have grown up, a lot, and it's thanks to Gale. I love him like a brother. He is like my brother, he cared for me, and taught me so much while you were gone, both times. It's down to him that I now have the courage to help people. I'm not a shy as I used to be, and that's down to him. She deserves this." She said with no conviction.

She was right of course. Despite the fact that I kept trying to think of her as that still small twelve year old innocent little duck, she wasn't. She was a strong, confident fourteen year old lady, and that change was down to Gale. I owed him so much, and I definitely owed him this.

I nodded my head in agreement and she smiled. Placing a gentle kiss on Gale's head I left go of his warm hand began to get ready.

Gale was a hero to many. He saved my mum and Prim from starving. He saved Greasy Sae from a whipping by the new and brutal peacekeeper. He saved 915 citizens of district twelve after the capitol bombed them. He saved me from myself after I came back from the second games nothing more than a broken shell. He saved Peeta from the Capitol after they kidnapped and tortured him after the second games, and subsequently saved me again when Peeta tried to choke me thinking I was a mutt. He saved me, again from Peeta, when the Capitol bombs sent him into another hallucination. He saved twenty innocent kids from a bomb of his own making that he never actually intended to be used, and tried to save many more.

All this and so much more made Gale a hero. The strongest person that I knew bar none. And now it was my turn to he a hero for him.

Once dressed I lent over and kissed his full soft lips. As usual, his lips twitched beneath mine, but there was no sign of him wakening.

"I'm going to be your hero this time. Don't go anywhere." I whispered. I kissed him once more before I managed to find the strength to follow Prim out the door.

XX

We had twenty minutes left, so I went to talk to Paylor. If things went well, I was going to need a back up.

She wasn't surprised to say the least and believed everything that I told her, adding that she had had her own suspicions for some time. She agreed to pass on the message to anyone whom she trusted. I was going to need as many allies as possible for the final game.

It was time now, and I wasn't ready. I needed Gale. He should've been standing by me, but because of her he wasn't. My blood began to boil, fuelling the fire that was normally stoked by Gale.

She was going to pay.

I stepped out onto the courtyard and slowly made my way to the centre of it. Taking in my surroundings as I went. There were hundreds of people, mainly rebels that surrounded us. The Hawthorns along with mom and Prim all stood huddled together. My eyes connected with Prim's and we silently said to each other what we couldn't say out loud.

 _I love you_

 _Shoot str_ _a_ _ight_

Peeta stood not too far from mom and Prim, and my heart gave a painful pang as I looked into his eyes. He looked utterly crushed. I hadn't yet spoken to him, given him the explanation that he deserved, but it seemed like he already knew.

I took a deep breath and readied my bow and arrow. Breathing slowly and surely, trying to bring the calm that I normally feel in the woods. It didn't work too well. I needed Gale here. But I was doing this for him, so I willed my nerves to stay still.

I locked eyes with Snow. He smiled ever so slightly, and gave a curt nod. I nodded back and pulled my bow taught.

I closed my eyes and counted to three, that's when I heard it, barely a whisper, but it was Gale's voice, _'you can do this, Catnip'_ he whispered softly. A gust of wind blew his voice away along with the faint aroma of the woods, our woods, his aroma. He was with me.

I opened my eyes and smirked ever so slightly at Snow, his smile changed into a puzzled frown, as I quickly changed direction and shot the arrow into the air above him.

Time slowed down after that. The arrow arched gracefully in the air, moving painfully slow as it completed its arc and landed in the centre of the chest of it's unsuspecting victim. Piercing her heart and knocking her off her podium, where her body landed with a sickening thud in front of the disgraced President.

The crowd gasped, my mom screamed, and Snow stood staring in shock at the body lying at his feet, before breaking into a hearty laugh. Loud guffaw's broke through the tense silence and blood splattered from his mouth onto the dull grey clothes of Alma Coin.

His laughs soon turned into choking and blood began spewing forth from his mouth faster that what he could swallow it. The oozing red liquid coming out in waves had a slight silvery tinge to it, the poison. He coughed hard, trying to rid the blood from his mouth, squirting it several feet away. But there was too much. I watched as the colour drained from his face, all life slipping away, until, finally, his head slumped and his heart stopped beating.

I turned, not caring to check if he was really dead. My job was done. All I cared about now was Gale's recovery.

I barely walked two paces before I was accosted by two irate looking soldiers from district thirteen.

"This way Ms. Everdeen," One said as they both grabbed an arm and began leading me away. I went willingly.

XX

Little did Katniss know that in a room, on the other side of the Palace, far away from anything, something was stirring, and that, at the precise moment that she released her arrow straight into the heart of Alma Coin...

Gale opened his eyes.

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Ten days. Ten days and she was going crazy. She had been locked in a room ever since she shot and killed Coin. There were meetings, hearings, deliberations, and still no results.

She freaked when Paylor first give her the time frame. She needed to be with Gale, not locked up here. What if he woke? What if...if he got worse? She couldn't believe she was so stupid. To risk this precious time with him was totally idiotic.

After a half an hour of anger and tears she was jabbed with some sort of calming medication that had her passing out for twenty four hours. When she woke she was on a cot. Food had been left by her bedside, but she ignored it.

Her family visited often. Trying to be comforting and cheerful. Prim severely admonished her for not eating her food. Reminding her that she needed to be strong for Gale. This woke her out of her stupor, and she began to eat a little.

Gale came up often. Each person she asked replied with the same thing. Gale's condition was stable, his skin was looking better and they were slowly reducing the amount of medication and salve baths that he'd been given.

It all seemed oddly rehearsed and it made her feel really uneasy. Something was wrong, she could feel that something had changed. She was losing sleep for the worry. She just wished that someone would tell her the truth.

Peeta lied to her too. He came to see her around the fifth or sixth day, she couldn't remember exactly when, everything seemed hazy to her. The days were melding into one. He was upset. She didn't really need to explain anything, he already knew.

XX  
 _Katniss POV_ _(memory)_ __

 _"I'm sorry." I whispered, not really knowing what to say._

 _"What for?" he replied, puzzled._

 _"For choosing him." I breathed. "You have done so much for me, and risked your life, your...everything to keep up with the lie that we were together. At some point I realised that I do love you_ _–_ _it's just..."I trailed of, my ability to explain seemingly having left me._

 _"You love him more." Peeta said simply._

 _"Yes. Sorry."_

 _"Stop apologising. I understand it. He's been there f_ _or_ _you since you were just twelve. You saved each other as kids. Everyone in district twelve saw what you two where before even you did. He has fought so hard to save you from becoming something that you didn't want to be. For what you've been through together, a bond like that, cannot be broken. "_

 _"Thank you Peeta." I whispered._

 _We'd ended on a hug, and with a promise, that at some point, we'd reconnect. He just needed time to heal.  
_  
XX

My mind was slipping. Reality seemed to be distorted. I was seeing images of an alternate reality. Of Prim dying. Gale not getting to her in time. Them both going up in flames. I needed Gale, he was my sanity.

The door creaked open and I heard heavy footsteps enter. Haymitch. Years of hunting left me with the ability to be able to tell whom each tread belonged to. I thought I had heard Gales light, nimble tread follow Haymitch's clumpy ones. But no. That was just my ailing mind.

"I don't want any visitors, Haymitch." I snapped. I was tired. I needed rest. I needed Gale. I kept my back firmly to the door.

"Not even me?" a voice rasped, _his_ voice, croaky from smoke inhalation. No, it couldn't be! I turned slowly thinking it a lie. But it wasn't.

Gale was standing by the door, being supported by Haymitch – that was bound to be pissing him off, Gale never relied on anyone for anything – I stood and walked to him as slowly as possible, almost afraid that he was going to disappear. I took a good look at him as I did so.

He did seem better, the burns had healed significantly. His pallor looked better, yet he seemed in a lot of pain.

"You're awake" I breathed.

"I'm awake." he answered. He was gazing intently into my eyes. As if seeking answers. One answer in particular.

I gently touched him, not wanting to cause him any-more pain, but wanting to make sure he was real. He tried to hide the pain, but I could see it in his eyes.

"You're in pain." I whimpered. "What are you going here?"

"I needed to see you." He breathed.

I couldn't help but smile.

"He also brought some good news." Haymitch interrupted. "I'll leave you too to talk." he said. He helped Gale lean against a wall before walking out quietly.

"What good news?" I asked caressing his face.

"You killed Coin?" he said bluntly, answering me with his own question. I sighed.

"Yes."

"Why?" he asked. I was surprised to see him sounding a little upset. "Catnip, you could've died!" He said gripping onto my arms.

"Like you nearly did?" I asked my tone accusatory.

"I did that for you!" He said tersely. "Katniss, I couldn't let Prim get hurt. Specially not by a bomb of my own design. I couldn't live with myself. That's why I tried to save so many!" He sighed, running out of steam.

"That's exactly why I did it, Gale. Because she twisted everything. Trying to take away everyone who meant anything to me. All for power. She needed to be stopped, so I stopped her. She was capable of doing anything. She tried to start another games, with Capitol children. Look at what she did to you! " I explained. My voice cracking, he caressed my cheek gently.

"I know," he said softly. "Prim has told me everything."

"You've seen Prim? How long have you been awake?" I asked surprised.

"Ten days."

"What?" I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. He had been awake this whole time?

"They say I woke just as you shot Coin. I tried to come to see you, but I couldn't move very well. They also didn't want me seeing you during the trial." he said desperately.

"The trail?..did they come to a verdict?" I asked gently gripping his shirt. Needing him to anchor me, to make me feel safe.

"Yes," he smiled slightly. "They cleared you of all charges, me too. They sighted yours as insanity due to what happened to me, and what the games done to you. Mine, a youthful indiscretion due to my love for you." He held his breath waiting for my reaction.

"Insanity?" I hissed.

"Yes. Paylor tried to gather all sorts of dirt on Coin. She did well too, but many found it easier to believe that you were suffering from insanity, rather than the leader they followed and trusted betrayed them all."

I huffed loudly. I could feel my anger raising. My blood was beginning to boil.

"Fire's still there." he chuckled, caressing my cheek again. I felt my breathing hitch. He smirked. "It doesn't matter how you're free, all that matters is that you are. We know the truth. Our families do, and we're free to live wherever, and do whatever we want. You can take the time to think, to heal."

"Gale, I don't need time."I said interrupting him. He breathed heavily. Trying to ready himself for the inevitable. "Gale, I don't know why I do this. I don't know why it takes for me to nearly lose you, before I am willing to admit it to myself. It happened when you were whipped and now..." I stopped, breathing deeply.

"And now?.." he whispered.

"Now – now that I can breathe, now that you're awake. Now that the games are finally over. I can tell you. I don't need time because I know what I want. It's you. It has always been you. I don't know how I could ever think any differently. I can't live without you. You're mine, and I am yours. I love you, Gale." I took a breath. I had talked without a break. Wanting to get everything off my chest before I clammed up again.

It was worth it, the smile on his face was like no other. It reached his eyes, making his gorgeous grey orbs twinkle.

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes," I laughed. His smile widened.

"I have waited so long to hear you say that." His voice was joyful.

"Too long. I'm sorry for the wait."

"You were worth it. I love you too." He said breathlessly.

He pulled me tight to him and winced ever so slightly.

"Gale, your burns." I scolded.

"Shut up, Catnip." He replied with a smile. He lent down and captured my lips with his own. He felt good, he tasted good. I was home.

"I am yours." I whispered after pulling away. He smiled.

"And I am yours." He replied. "For eternity." He added.

"Longer." I replied before kissing him again.

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Three years later.

I woke as the weak sunlight filtered through our curtains. I stretched my arm out in search of my warmth. Panic set in momentarily when my source of comfort wasn't found. Only to find him setting perched on the edge of our bed, applying cream to his burns. My husband.

We returned to district twelve as soon as Gale was well enough, and got married not too long after that. Not feeling the need to wait any longer. On the first anniversary of the total destruction of district twelve, the towns people that had returned decided to mark the occasion by rebuilding the district.

Buildings were shooting up all over, the victims found their final resting places, and our population began to steadily increase. Things were good.

"Here, let me," I said softly as I took the cream out of his hand. He turned his head and gave me a crooked smile. I leaned round and placed a kiss on his awaiting lips whilst simultaneously enveloping his body with mine.

After righting myself. I began applying a generous amount of cream to his heavily scarred back. With the whipping and then the fire bomb there wasn't an inch of his back that wasn't affected in some way. It was often his source of discomfort, especially when the dry air of winter made it worse. His skin would flake more, and the itching would get worse. But it was a small price to pay for his life, and I loved every inch of him.

"Thanks beautiful," he sighed in relief. I smiled and lent in for another kiss. He returned it feverishly. Wanting to devour me just as I did him. But he pulled away too soon. He needed to get ready for work, and since he worked tirelessly on rebuilding the town, it was too important too miss. I however, had a day off from building work, and was going to spend my time in our woods.

"Are you OK, babe?" he asked gently. I had been in a day dream and not really listening to what he was saying. I looked up at his concerned face, and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been meaning to tell you something. I've been trying to find the right moment, to make it perfect. But I realised that, this, _is_ the perfect moment. Just us two, doing our usual husband and wife routine, normality." I breathed deeply.

"What is it?" he asked taking my face into his hands. The concern had not yet left his features, but it would. Oh god I hope it would. I breathed deeply. Looking up at him through my lashes.

"I'm pregnant."

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 **A. N. Yes I am leaving it there, and yes I am cruel. Sorry. Hope you all enjoyed.**


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